Quick update: The Kumar fam move to FL is coming along – gotta be out in 3 weeks! House looks like a box explosion, I'm watching the calendar move without a boat (still getting the cover – not that I have the time!), stressed out wife, dogs don't care lol – all good. Hope you and your fam are good and you're lippin' some!

- Amazing. Guess who? That's right, the man himself – Obi-wan Clunnobi:

Props to B.A.S.S. for that graphic wow! Then Rick said:

> "Someday, when you are too old to do it anymore, you will wish you have those intense feeling again. I'm not ready to lose that."

No doubt. Was tempted to say the first part of the quote could be about spicy burritos but decided not to...lol couldn't help myself!

If you haven't seen the last Sea Foam Top 5 of the Week where I go over some of Rick's stats, watch it – you will be blown away!

AL's Josh Butler – who was an MLF Bass Pro Tour rookie last year – led it every day and won it by 3 lbs:

> "I put all my eggs in that upriver basket. I have a lot of history up there. I've won a lot of tournaments. I just decided to put my head down and figure it out. Every day it seemed to be getting better and better."

> ...Butler surmised that most of the fish he was catching were post-spawners that left the shallows and moved out to feed in tailrace current. ...when the power generation schedules delivered early afternoon windows of opportunity, Butler did the majority of his work.

> [The last day] Butler devoted a couple of hours to fishing close with a 5/16-oz Dirty Jigs Swim Jig with a white Zoom Z Craw Jr.... Butler ran upriver...about 11:30 he ran closer to the dam, targeted a "history spot" and capitalized on a midday flurry....

> "I caught all those tailrace fish on a 3/16-oz shaky head with a Zoom Trick Worm [I think gp candy] and a Neko-rigged 5-inch [baby bass Berkley MaxScent General]."

Here's the top 10's baits broken down – seems like most guys fished a combo of shallow or suspended plus on the bottom:

Damiki rig = 70% – Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm, Jackall Driftfry, Berkley MaxScent Flatnose Minnow, Keitech Fat, Big Bite Baits Slim Minnow, Dstyle Virola, Strike King Z-Too

Jig = 30%

Crankbait = 20% – Berkley Frittside 5, Strike King 6XD

10% each = Wacky rig, Shakey head, Swim-jig, Football jig, Spinnerbait (War Eagle Screamin Eagle Nickel I think in "mouse"), Topwater (Super Spook), Free rig, Big hard swimbait (SPRO KGB Chad Shad 190 Glide Bait), Carolina rig, Underspin (5/16-oz Great Lakes Finesse Sneaky Underspin, black head with a white swimbait) Dropshot

Shoutouts

1. AL hammer Tucker Smith got 2nd.

2. Kyoya Fujita finished 3rd.

3. Emil Wagner continues to have a heck of a year and finished 4th. Looks like this Frittside has caught a few – missing an eye on the other side too:

4. Jeremiah Kindy won the Ouachita Open and finished 5th in this'n, partly with this Spook in the Jimmy Houston color "wounded shad":

5. Kyle Austin won the last Open at Santee and finished 6th in this'n. The 2 before those he finished 117th and 43rd so he's heated up fo sho.

6. Former Elitist Garrett Paquette got 7th and used a glide bait as a show bait with his 360. Some of the deets he posted:

> ...noticed a lot of fish in less than 10' were hard to see on Side Imaging so...I threw a glide bait on shallow points, hump, and ledges while watching my [Humminbird] 360 for "shadows" that would appear when the fish lifted off the bottom to look at the glide bait. I would mark these schools of fish and come back in the tournament with a Damiki rig to catch them.

Banks Shaw also had 32-04 on day 3! Good deets from Jose "D" Blanco on the MLF site:

> Shaw calls Chickamauga home and reckons he's idled about 90% of the lake.

> "It's been insane with the [FFS] technology. A handful of people are on hot streaks...just because of LiveScope. I would say it's my knowledge on the lake and my knowledge with [FFS]. There are several guys out here that know the lake like I do, but they don't really know the technology like I do, and they didn't really understand what was going on.

> "I caught a few single fish, but not many... Most of my bigger ones were out of groups. I probably got 10 or 15% of the follows I got to bite. I would have to have a group competing over the bait to get a bite."

> ...LiveScope range out to 120'.... "I was staying as far off them as I could, just bombing a cast. That's really the only way I could get them to bite. I would catch them at like 80', but most of the time I would hit them when they were at 100'.

> "I've caught them in 10 foot and I've caught them in 30 foot. I've just followed the fish."

He fished a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader on a 1/8-oz jighead and a 3/4-oz V&M Pacemaker Football Jig.

Here's the top 10 finishers' baits broken down:

Jerkbait = 40% – Megabass Vision 110+1 Jr, Berkley Stunna 112+1, Megabass Vision 110+1, Smithwick Perfect 10 Rogue

Damiki rig = 30% – Rapala CrushCity Freeloader, Rapala CrushCity The Jerk, True Bass FF Minnow. Rapala CrushCity The Jerk?? Looks like it's available in other countries:

Dropshot = 30% – 6" Roboworm straight 20%, Zoom Magnum Shakey Head Worm

Wacky rig = 30% – 5" Yamamoto Senko 20%

Football jig = 20%

10% each = Shakey head, Spoon, Topwater, Jig, Swim-jig

Btw, ever get curious about the name Chickamauga? If you heard it was from a Cherokee word, this looong post says no. More likely a misspelling of an Algonquin word meaning something like "dwelling place by the water."

Former MLF BPT pro Roy "red tail" Hawk won it on his home pond mostly cranking:

> "I've got a million waypoints marked on this lake.... [He fished] a mixture of deep and shallow offshore spots, focusing on inside grasslines when fishing shallow and brushpiles or artificial habitat when deep.

> ...he used Lowrance ActiveTarget to make precise presentations..."I wasn't looking at fish, I was looking at structure so I could see where my next cast would be...I was looking at where billows of grass were, and where there were clean spots."

> ...most of his bites with a variety of crankbaits. He rotated between 6 or 7...of varying action and depth, throwing them on his Taipan Roy Hawk Signature Series crankbait rods...also mixed in a Yamamoto Speed Senko.

What the full top 10 feeshed broken down – almost all used FFS to help make precise casts to cover or structure:

Dropshot = 80% – Roboworm straight (3 6s and 3 4.5s) 60%, Arizona Custom Baits Curly Tail Minnow

Crankbait = 30% – SPRO Russ Lane Fat Papa 55 (blue bandit), 1776 Bait Co Money Convict Craw, Evergreen CR-16. Never heard of that 1776 company, here's that bait – says it dives to 9-11' and has a tight wobble:

Damiki rig = 20% – Rapala CrushCity Freeloader

Topwater = 20% – SPRO Frog, Lobina Rico

Flip plastics = 20% – Berkley MaxScent Creature Hawg

10% each = Spinnerbait, Swim worm, Wacky rig (Yamamoto Senko and Thin Senko), Ned rig (Z-Man TRD TicklerZ in "the deal"), Bladed jig (Z-Man JackHammer), Swim-jig, Carolina rig (3" Berkley Chigger Craw)

Here's my midway through the season thoughts for whatever they're worth, and thanks for everyone's input. Not sure the leagues will listen – because they're jealous of my muscular physique and good looks 🤣 – but here goes anyhow.

1. Ban FFS for half the tournaments

On the Elites/BPTs and the Opens/Invitationals – Also maybe any major multi-day tournaments. Start with half in 2025 and see what happens, adjust (if needed) from there.

2. Why do it

Half makes sense right now

a) We know what happens without FFS (pre-FFS), and now we know what happens with FFS (a lot of FFS expert wins). A ban for half the tournaments – as a starting point – has both in play.

b) Half the tournaments are either pre-spawn or smallmouth tourneys – which means they already are FFS tourneys. So half is a rational starting place and makes sense fishing-wise. In 2026 the tours can go up or down from half depending on feedback, the schedule, etc.

c) Over the years the tours have put rules in place to protect rookies, to level the playing field. It's time to do the same for tour veterans, for the same reason: fairness.

Other skills have to matter as much as FFS

a) It is one thing to see FFS tournament winners. It is another thing to see FFS AOY winners, which we have seen and will probably see again this year. It's not "bad," it just shows something that does not necessarily equal well-rounded, which AOY should reflect. Depending on the schedule and the angler it might or might not be a well-rounded win, but the bottom line is AOY "should" reflect that.

b) If we never see a major tournament won again by skills like Andy Montgomery's insane dock-skipping expertise or Brett Ehrler with a dropshot or Dean Rojas with a frog or whatever, that would stink and I think is bad for our sport in at least these ways:

• If guys don't win using different techniques, other anglers (notably young ones) won't be incentivized to learn and master those techniques.
• Thus lower bait sales for those techniques and less of an understanding of bass fishing.
• We should take care to not discourage anyone who doesn't want to learn FFS, isn't great at FFS or can't afford FFS (many folks!) from fishing tournaments, including the pros.

Bass fishing history/legacy does matter – a lot

a) We are all stewards of this bass fishing thing God gave Ray Scott to implement. I can't think of a more important reason to be careful with FFS and anything else that might "change the game" that much that fast.

b) Gotta highlight the $$ again: Our sport is built on the "working man." If we lose that, we are done for. Not just in participation, but also values. Bass anglers are what make bass fishing great. And we do need people of modest means to be able to fish tournaments and succeed.

c) Bass fishing is different and great because the average guy can go out on a lake and do what they see [pro name] doing. We can't lose that.

d) No other major sports allow unrestrained use of technology (like carbon-fiber baseball bats) – because of tradition, and also because they want skill and experience to matter. When some do allow new tech, it is after a period of study. The NFL is one example where they never embrace new technology right away – more on their "Technology and the Game" page.

3. How to ban half

a) Maybe pick 4 out of a hat? That might be interesting (maybe no FFS for a smallmouth event?) and would be a fun pre-season deal to speculate on, follow and talk about.

b) Maybe the middle 4 events? Every other tournament?

_____

That's all I got. What do you think?

Few things in case it's not obvious:

a) I am absolutely not saying FFS is "bad." I've never said or implied that because it's not. It's just a new thing and deserves to be treated that way: carefully. Including watching to see what happens with it.

b) I am not addressing the other stuff, like screen square inches, number of transducers, etc. I feel like even if you limit it to 1 FFS transducer and still allow it in every event, it won't change much if anything.

c) This is just one guy's 2c for this slice of time – and might change!

Another encouragement to you not to get bent about any of this FFS stuff, pro or con. It's bass fishing = great!

Also about the false rumors again:

a) To my knowledge the electronics companies are NOT pressuring B.A.S.S. or MLF to not ban FFS. I'd guess somewhere around 90% of the stuff they sell has zero to do with FFS, and there's no way their FFS stuff has a ginormous profit margin relative to the other stuff they sell.

b) FFS is not bad for our bass fisheries. We catch and release! It's just opening up more bass to getting caught, which is great. Those little suckers deserve to get caught mang!

Also gotta say: Bad, behind the times, uninformed DNR "officials" like WI's are not helping anyone or anything related to FFS. That state is doing their fishermen a DISservice – it doesn't take much to get a group of uniformed people riled up about anything. And once again, baseless negative social media about bass also is on Peta's side.

1. Here's Justin Hamner's electronics setup.

From a Bassmaster photo deal:

> Hamner runs the [Garmin] Saltwater LVS62 transducer for Perspective Mode, and an LVS34 for his forward imaging.

> ...runs 3 graphs on his bow, one for forward LiveScope, one for perspective mode LiveScope and one for mapping.

> For his forward LiveScope, Hamner [uses] the Garmin GPSMap 8612 (top). Beneath, he runs dual EchoMap Ultra 126sv 2s for Perspective Mode and mapping.

Also:

> ...Hamner is running the Power-Brake Sidekicks to help position his boat when fishing off the bank.

And that BaitFuel Hardbait Stick Justin used at the Classic is now available on TW.

2. Scott Martin self-reported DQ at Harris Chain day 2.

> ...it was determined Martin had violated Rule C14 Permitted Fishing Locations of the Bassmaster Elite Series rules.

> Martin said he was made aware on May 4, 2024, after the event's conclusion, that he violated tournament rules, and he immediately contacted officials to report the violation. ...kept a fish from an area that addresses "waters deemed off-limits by authorities or tournament officials should be treated like a wall."

3. Good Jacob Wheeler YT vid showing the Mooch Minnow.

How he rigs and fishes the Rapala CrushCity Mooch Minnow (not out yet), and what it looks like underwater.

4. Brandon Palaniuk says you have to get used to JDM braid.

Talking about the new Seaguar JDM PEX8 braid:

> "The biggest thing is to start with a diameter that is the closest match to what you are fishing now. Then you can scale down from there when you get used to the performance. The benefit of this line for all techniques is you can get a similar action out of your bait with added strength and better overall performance."

He adds that for Damiki rigs, you can cast 'em way farther with this thinner braid. 👀 Shaw Grigsby likes it too, for the same reason.

5. Brandon Card is running brakes now too.

These ones are called Tail Hooks, made by Wacky Riggers.

6. Cliff Crochet's foundation helping stock FL bass May 11.

82,000 fish at at Veterans Park-Assumption Parish Recreation District 2, everyone is welcome to help.

7. Luke Palmer's 2021 Phoenix 21PHX is for sale.

8. Matt Becker says Aqua-Vu cams had been a secret...

...and also says that the main use now is a quick drop to see species and size. Check 'em on the TW.

9. NPFLer Doug Chapin says this about fishing a shakey head.

He likes the Jewel Pro Shakey Head:

> Picture a shakey head like a jig without a skirt. Anywhere you can throw a jig, you can put a shakey head...on transition banks, points, pockets, drains, beds, and you can even use FFS with them to target individual fish.

10. A must-read post on Alfred Williams...

...if you like the history of our sport and don't know Alfred's story. A few deets:

• Going into the Bassin' Hall of Fame this year
• First black man to qualify for the Classic – and dealt with all the tension of being a pioneer in bassin' (bless you bassin' brother!)
• Might have come up with skirt-material frog legs
• Did come up with weighting frogs for more hookups

11. OK: MLF and a HS team dropped habitat into Eufaula.

12. FL: 35th Wolfsons Children's Hospital tourney May 16-18...

...on the St Johns River out of Palatka.

13. MO: $7 mil resort for tourney anglers being built...

...on Lake of the Ozarks. Goal is to have it finished this winter, reservations can be made starting in July. It honestly sounds amazing, stuff like:

> Each suite includes a 60' x 12' garage space where the entire truck and boat combo can be parked inside with charging outlets and protection from weather and theft.

14. MS: Elvis Presley Lake reopening after 3 years.

May 18 for youth and May 22 for everyone else. The lake was drained and "reset" with new stockings. Doesn't sound like lots of giant bass yet but some good ones and big crappie.

15. FL: Headwaters ramp closed Jun 10-21.

12 days of no fishing – make sure you get there on the 22nd! 😎

16. MS: Clear Creek ramp back open at Sardis.

Was closed for repairs in March 2023.

17. NY: Milfoil being studied and controlled at 2 places.

Goose Bay in Jefferson County and Norwood Lake in St Lawrence County.

18. NY: Check traffic cones for stripers??

Interesting alleged poacher tactic:

Headline of the Day

One of 'World's Worst' Weeds Invading US Northeast

Talkin'...hydrilla. Posted by News-weak...😁

'Lectronics PSAs: Sale alert!

Both Humminbird and Lowrance have big savings right now

Why are these companies having big sales in the hottest electronics era ever? Who cares! Save some Benjamins! 😎 Here's the 'Bird deals and here's Lo-lo.

Also a new 'Bird Father's Day promo starts TODAY (til Jun 30) – looks like this:

HELIX, SOLIX, MEGA Live Instant Savings

• Buy select HELIX product, instantly save $500 – HELIX 9, 10, 12, or 15 G4N
• Buy select SOLIX product, instantly save $500 – SOLIX 10, 12, or 15 G3
• Buy select MEGA Live, instantly save $500 – MEGA Live Imaging, MEGA Live Hand Control Universal, MEGA Live TargetLock and MEGA Live TargetLock Adapter Kits

HELIX, MEGA 360 Mail In Rebate

• Buy a Helix 5, get $40 back
• Buy a Helix 7 G4, get $100 back
• Buy a Helix 7 G4N, get $200 back
• Buy a select MEGA 360 Imaging product, get $400 back – Includes MEGA 360 Ultrex, MEGA 360 Fortrex, MEGA 360 Universal and MEGA 360 No Mount

Ray Hanselman: Deep post-spawn swimbaits

From an older Bassmaster.com post:

> "...paralleling ledges is a good place to start, and it'll be a good starting place anywhere you have deep, rocky structure but you don't have to limit yourself to rocks.

> "On Lanier...retrieving swimbaits over flooded timber that topped out about 30' deep. Table Rock has both rock and trees where swimbaits can be effective, and some fishermen are using swimbaits up on...Tennessee River lakes....

> "I'm fishing places – not for specific fish I might see on my electronics. I don't like to idle over fish, even those in deep water. Rocky lakes especially will have huge, flat rocks that form ledges, shelves or even points. They may be 30' or 40' deep and drop off to 100' or more.

> "I try to parallel the edge of that dropoff with my retrieve, so I'll make a long cast along the deeper side of the ledge because this is frequently where bass will gather in schools. They're off the lip, not on top of the ledge. I do know from my electronics how deep the top of the ledge is, so I count my swimbait down until it's about 10' above that lip.

> "Then I'll just slowly start reeling it back. I'll make 10 or 12 turns of the reel handle, then stop and let the lure sink a few seconds, then make another 10 or 12 cranks, stop and let the swimbait sink again. This is because the lure will rise naturally as you're reeling."

> ...postspawn...Hanselman also targets the last underwater ledge or breakline leading into a spawning flat or bay. Bass...frequently gather [there] in schools, and repeated casts may be necessary to get that first strike. Then hopefully that strike triggers a wolf-pack instinct in the rest of the school....

> "Later in the summer I use a technique I call 'bustin' ledges,' which is a slight modification of an old striper presentation.... I'll get along the face of a bluff or ledge where it makes that sheer drop down into much deeper water, and just freespool the swimbait straight down beside the boat. Again, I don't go to the bottom but stop between 30' and 50' down. Then I'll just slowly and steadily crank it up and drop it again.

> "...we caught our share of striped bass doing this with big striper jigs [and] we also caught a lot of 8- and 9-lb largemouth too."

"Things are constantly changing and bass brains are constantly moving."

- WI B.A.S.S. Nation fisherman Brian Post talkin'. Never heard that before about bass brains possibly moving. Might need to call retired Berkley scientist Dr Keith Jones on that one – "hey do bass brains move doc??" I'm going with...maybe? Could explain a lot! 😁

BUT...bass fishermen brains definitely move hahaha!

Man I am DIGGING this retro Ranger paint – you?

Not sure where this sign is posted...possibly Lake Murray? 😁

Fishers of Men Tournament Trail

Bass Chaplain podcasts

Contact Chris Wells the Bass Chaplain

CullGear.com - Versaweb

Advanced Angler

StrayCasts crazy web show!

BassEdge Radio

Champion Jigs

Trophy Bass Co.

National Professional Anglers Assoc.